When You Love Someone
by CemeBlack
Summary: "If you truly love someone you'll stick with them no matter what, don't you agree?" These are the world Esmeralda had once asked Rumpelstiltskin before he had even considered becoming the Dark One, in Storybrooke, Maine; he remembers everything while she has forgotten their time in Fairyland could he remind Esmeralda of her Fairyland character or are they forever lost to her?
1. Introduction

**I DO NOT OWN ANY ONCE UPON TIME CHARACTERS THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL CREATORS**

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**WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE**

**INTRODUCTION**

"_**If you truly love someone you'll stick with them no matter what, don't you agree?" **_

Esmeralda carried the last box into the house where she would be staying from now on – her knee-length light-blond hair was tied in a loose ponytail and she wore a black jacket with a red shirt underneath and black jeans with white sneakers; She had decided that she should start living in a house rather than an apartment. She put the box down on the kitchen table and then she looked around there were a lot of boxes and the furniture had already arrived this morning now all that was left was to unpack everything and find room to put everything up. She also had to buy new curtains she had been planning to go to the shops tomorrow to buy the things she needs. She sat on the chair with a sigh her muscles ached with carrying the boxes from the driveway to the house alone, she at least had a bit of help with the furniture.

"I see you have everything inside, Esmeralda." A voice broke into her thought making her jump with fright she turned in her chair to face the man standing by the doorway. He wore a black suit with a lavender shirt and black tie, he held a cane in his right hand and his brown hair reached till his shoulders. She smiled up at him.

"Ah, yes Mr. Gold it wasn't as easy as I thought. I think this will be for the best my apartment was getting a bit too small for me. Thank you for showing me this house." Esmeralda stood up and grabbed a chair putting it next to her. "Won't you sit down for a bit Mr. Gold?" She added politely and he nodded and went to sit next to her.

"I heard you had a run in with Mike Monroe this morning. Should I be worried?" Mr. Gold asked knowing that Mike Monroe, was the man who had recently been bothering Ms. Esmeralda Philips. Esmeralda made a small smile, it was strange but she found it easier to talk to Mr. Gold than anyone else when something or someone was bothering her.

"Yes, he just wanted to know why I didn't want to answer his question and I told him I had my reasons and then he left. Why should you be worried Mr. Gold?" She asked curious why Mr. Gold said should he be worried it was unlike him to be nosy but that is why she enjoyed his company – he accepted and spoke honestly with her and she liked that, in her past she only knew men who had lied or used her, or just plan annoyed her because they wanted to change who she was. She had known Mr, Gold as long as she could remember but she had a feeling that they knew each other longer than that. Mr. Gold made a small smirk as he regarded Esmeralda, he had been the one who had seen all her emotions those she hid from others, he had also been the one whom she talked to most and he knew very well the question that Mike wanted to know he had accidentally been walking passed when he had spotted the two talking and had seen straight away Esmeralda's annoyance when Mike had asked her if she loved him, she had said nothing but merely changed the subject.

"No, reason but I am curious to know why you do not want to answer the man. It appears he is rather fond of you." Mr. Gold said and she made a small smile shaking her head a little.

"Fond of me? Don't be silly Mr. Gold, he is just-" She paused and looked away from his gaze. "He's just trying to soften me, letting my guard down is something I can't easily do again." She said and then faced him again. "I have too much now to do and think about now.-" She paused and then smiled at Mr. Gold. "That reminds me, you'll come with me to get the twins won't you Mr. Gold, I'm looking forward to it." She then looked sadly to the ground. "The social worker told me that the twins were still in shock about Jack's suicide – the man was very depressed with losing his status, job and estate and having the twins pushed onto him, he eventually killed himself to get away leaving them alone. The social worker told me that their other relatives didn't want them because they were unwanted and poor – they told the social worker that they didn't have place for such disgraceful brats.-" She narrowed her eyes when she remembered the social worker's sad expression when she told her the details it had taken all her strength not to grab the phone and call those asses and give her a piece of her mind it was what she would do if anyone tried stopping her from taking the twins. They were only six years old but already they had to see such a terrible thing and experience such a lost. " So I am the only relative left and I told the social worker that I'll be happy to look after the twins no matter what others might think." She finished and faced Mr, Gold she had told him before about her half-brother Jack and his lovely twins Alvin and Ivan. Though Jack wasn't a snob he was a sensitive man and was the only one in that whole family who had excepted her as his family even though she was his father's bastard. She had been herself, and had excepted the fact that she would never be excepted into that family and so she found a job and saved money for herself and when her father had died he had given her a generous amount of money which she had saved and so here she was on her own happy to be away from those snobbish people. Mr. Gold watched her carefully he knew that her half-brother's suicide had been rough for her.

"I'd be delighted to go with you Esmeralda." He smirked "For a prize of course." He added quickly and she smiled.

"I knew you'd say that – so what is the prize Mr. Gold?" She asked happy to have company go with her; she wasn't sure just how bad the twins will look and if they will accept this middle life.

"Well, I haven't thought of anything as of yet so why don't we say you owe me a favour." He said and raised from his chair. "So when will we be getting the twins Esmeralda?" He added as he turned to face her she stood up and walked with him towards the door.

"I'll be fetching them Thursday Morning. Thanks again Mr. Gold." She said and he said his farewell she closed the door and leaned on the door. Now she had to unpack and get everything ready so that she could take care of the twins. She wasn't all that sure if she was ready to be an adoptive mother but she couldn't just say no and leave them alone; she would do what she could to protect them.


	2. Chapter 1

**I DO NOT OWN ANY ONCE UPON TIME CHARACTERS THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL CREATORS**

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**WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE**

**CHAPTER 1:**

"**Esme, are you really going to take responsibility of the twins – their father was nothing but a disgrace and married beneath him now his dead and those two have no one who will take them. Yet you are willing to take care of them?" The one woman asked the knee-length light-blond haired woman who was busy getting water from the well, she wore a light green cotton gown and her bangs were tied behind her and braided tied with a brown cloth. She looked at the woman behind her she was no different than the others who had learned about her half-brother's death. She narrowed her eyes and then she smiled.**

"**Yes, I am, please don't talk bad about my half-brother even though I was sunned out when my father died it doesn't matter I love those two to death." She said taking the bucket of water and walking.**

"**And is it true you are staying with the Town's Coward: Rumpelstiltskin? Esme, you know what is going around the town aren't you. Many say that you and he are lovers is this true. O, dear please tell me it isn't true just think of your reputation here – leave that coward and stay with that handsome man Felix his very fond of you." The woman said walking behind Esmeralda. Esmeralda stopped abruptly she knew what was going around this town about her relationship with Rumpelstiltskin but she didn't care about what people said for her he was her best friend and someone she could talk to without hiding her true self. She knew he was a coward but even so he cared a lot about his son Bealfire and that part was what she respected, he was a good man. She turned to face the woman by now most of the townspeople were out watching the two woman talk.**

"**I don't love Felix – I refuse to live with someone I do not love. As for my relationship with Rumpelstiltskin that is none of your concern." Esmeralda said she didn't like Felix even though he was handsome he was just too full of himself and thought that he could have any woman he wanted. **

"**Then do you love Rumpelstiltskin, is that why you are living with him and his son Esme?" The woman asked and Esmeralda for once looked shocked at the woman, she never thought about it like that – she had agreed to stay with Rumpelstiltskin because she wanted to help him look after his son and because she had known him for a long time now – she just didn't want him to be alone, she had been staying by him for these 6 years and had been there for him when his wife had left him for being a coward. She never questioned her own feelings towards him. Did she love him? She shook her head the thought was ridiculous she had sworn after Kenny's death she would never again fall in love, when she had heard that Rumpelstiltskin's wife had left him because of him being a coward she had been angry because she believed if you love someone you must stick to them no matter what -was that not what true love was? She looked at the woman before her with a small smile.**

"**I have my reason's why I'm staying by him. He is my best friend and I'll not leave him and his son no matter what the lot of you say." With that she turned and walked into Rumpelstiltskin's house ready to tell him the news about the twins...**

"Esme, are you sure you are ready to handle twins?" Ruby asked as she finished her work and went to sit down opposite Esmeralda who was drinking a big mug of coffee, she put the newspaper down she was done packing it had taken three days to unpack, organize and get herself settled into the house, tomorrow she was going to collect the twins by the Majors office where the social worker will be waiting with the documents.

"I am positive I've seen them plenty of times and they were such darlings – they are six years old now and I promised myself that if something should ever happen to them, I'd take care of them as best I can." Esmeralda said she was nervous but also very happy that she will not have to be alone in that house, the news of the twins coming to stay with Esmeralda had spread throughout the town like wildfire thanks to Ruby having told mostly everyone. Ruby sighed she still felt bad of letting it slip about the twins. She leaned on her elbows and watched Esmeralda. She had seen Esmeralda and Mr. Gold walking and talking along the side walk it was still strange how easy she could talk to the man everyone in Storybrooke feared.

"Are you really going to take Mr, Gold with you to collect the twins?" Ruby asked and saw the smile on Esmeralda's face.

"Yes, he agreed he'd join me to meet the twins. Though I owe him a favour now." Esmeralda giggled and then she took another sip of her coffee.

"You seem to spend an awfully lot of time with Mr. Gold. What about Mike, he asked about your relationship with Mr. Gold you know I didn't know what to tell him because I've been wondering the same thing myself." Ruby said curious written all over her face. Esmeralda looked into her cup with a small smile.

"Mr. Gold is my best friend Ruby – I have known him as long as I can remember."

"It that all he is to you Esme? You don't know what many think especially Mike. He saw you and Mr. Gold taking a stroll he believes that you love Mr, Gold that is why you haven't answered his question. Is that true do you love Mr. Gold, Esme?" Ruby said and Esmeralda nearly dropped the cup from shock.

"Don't be silly – you know how I feel about love, I don't need to answer his questions if I don't want to." She said and sat the cup down and stood up. "I have my reasons why I enjoy Mr. Gold's company. I have to go now, see you." Esmeralda said and left Granny's Dinner truly she was sick and tired of people sticking their noses in her business.

"_Do you love Mr. Gold, Esme?"_

Those words ran along her thoughts as she made her way to the other side of the road she didn't stop until she came to the Pawnshop. She stopped from opening the door she looked in the window at herself her violet eyes watching her, was it true, she had known him for a long time but never once did she think about love.

She shook her head and then without thinking she opened the door to Mr. Gold's pawnshop.


	3. Chapter 2

**I DO NOT OWN ANY ONCE UPON TIME CHARACTERS THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL CREATORS**

* * *

**WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE**

CHAPTER 2:

"**You're leaving?" Rumpelstiltskin asked shocked "Why are you leaving Esmeralda..is it because of me?" He added confused as he watched her as he sat by his spin wheel; he wore a brown vest with brown pants, his brown hair reached till his shoulders and his brown eyes watched Esmeralda as she stood by the table looking at him with a smile. **

"**No, it is not because of you Rumpelstiltskin – I'm to look after the twins of my deceased half-brother. I don't want us to be a burden to you and Bealfire." Esmeralda said she didn't want to impose on him and Bealfire when she soon too will be an adoptive mother to the twins.**

"**You can never be a burden to us Esmeralda." He said as he looked away from her towards his spin wheel. "Please, won't you stay – you and the twins can stay here; we'll manage I'm sure." He said and then faced her again with a pleading look she was the only friend he had and he didn't want to lose her. "Bealfire enjoys your story telling very much he'll miss you if you should go now Esmeralda." He added quickly, She sighed and went to sit on the table and faced him with a smile.**

"**Fine, we'll stay all together – I'm happy that you won't mind me bring the twins here, I'll get something to do so that we can cope with everything. I'm sure this Ogre Wars will come to an end one day but you never know do you." She said with a shrug she was sick of this Ogre Wars and she had a sickening feeling it will get worse before it gets any better. She looked at her lap.**

"**So...when will the twins be coming?" He asked bringing her attention back to him, She smiled.**

"**They'll arrive here tomorrow morning."**

"**Are you sure your ready to be a mother Esmeralda?"**

"**Why does everyone ask me that?" She asked jokily and then stood up again and folded her arms before her chest "I am sure I'll do my best to look after them but, I am a bit nervous." She admitted making Rumpelstiltskin make a small smile.**

"**I am sure you are – but if it's you I'm sure you'll be fine with looking after the twins as your own." He said and then he continued to spin the wool into silk. Esmeralda watched him as he spin the wheel. The question of the woman still haunting her but she shook it away. **

"Ah, Esmeralda do what do I owe the pleasure?" Mr, Gold greeted her as she stood by the door watching around his shop it was filled with all kind of trinkets and things; it reminded her somewhat of a treasure room. She turned her attention back to him as he stood behind the counter today he was wearing his black suit but with a black shirt and maroon tie. She wore a black skirt and a blue blouse she was never one for fashion she threw on whatever she got.

"Yes, well I just come to remind you about tomorrow. I'm meeting the twins by Major Mills office to sign the documents. I just wanted to make sure where we should meet and at what time?" She asked and he looked down with a smirk then he looked back at her as she stood waiting for a reply.

"I think about eight should be fine – I'll meet you at you house." He answered and then he saw her smile.

"Fine, I'll be waiting for you then." She turned to leave.

"Esmeralda?" He called and she turned to face him again.

"Yes, Mr. Gold." She said he shook his head.

"Nothing...-" He paused and looked down at the trinket he had been polishing before she had come in. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." With that she bet him good day and left he watched her as she walked away and then he went to the back where his workshop was. He opened a draw and took out a brown pouch he held it upside down allowing a violet stone to fall in his palm it was small and smooth but it was precious to him, he put it back in the pouch and then put the pouch into the drawer. He then went to the front to finish his polishing.

"**Rumpel, look what I found – isn't it beautiful?" She said as she sat opposite him looking at the small smooth violet stone in her hand, he watched it.**

"**Yes, but you should be careful – the forest is dangerous; you shouldn't go there alone." He said and then she smiled again as she watched him, he stood up and used a long stick to walk to his spin wheel where he sat down and watched her as she frowned at him.**

"**Rumpel, why did you run from the war?" She asked she'd been curious. For a moment he watched her and then he looked away from her penetrating violet eyes.**

"**I was scared – best to run then to fight and die a meaningless death. Those red clouds aren't the fires of the battlefield but the blood of innocent children forced to fight." He said and she watched the stone again then she stood up and walked till she stood next to him.**

"**Rumpel, hold out you hand." She said and he held out his hand she placed the violet stone in his palm.**

"**But, this stone is yours I am sure if you were to try and sell it – it'll sell." He said and she smiled at him as she shook her head.**

"**No, This is a gift to you – I want you to stop hating yourself for everything, you are a good person no matter what anyone says." She said and then she turned around. "I'll go get more water, Tomorrow is a new day." with that she walked out the door leaving him along he watched the violet stone and then he smiled again feeling a strange warmth in his heart. He was glad that Esmeralda was his friend and that she stuck with him no matter what seemed to happen.**


End file.
